The 2016 Toyota RAV4 made its mark at the recent Olympus Rally in Shelton, Washington, by finishing first in the 2WD Class. Ryan Millen pushed the compact SUV to pull ahead of all but four 4WD competitors. Marked by a gap of over five minutes ahead of their nearest in-class competitor, the victory highlighted the crossover’s abilities.
A big win for both Toyota and Millen, the race-car driver says this is something he’s envisioned for a long time. “This is a race I’ve been coming to as a young child, and I’ve seen my dad win it,” remembered Millen. “To follow in his footsteps is huge. It’s hard to express how much this means to me and my family. This one is special, a real career highlight.”
Millen and the RAV4 SE also won first place in the Oregon Trail competition earlier this year, making this latest feat their second back-to-back win. Winning both competitions was no easy task, as they presented a wide range of obstacles, one of them being the huge stones that constantly pounded the undercarriage of the SUV.
No matter the challenge, though, the RAV4 pulled through with no problem. “It’s amazing how much speed you can carry. You wouldn’t expect a vehicle this size to handle and turn the way it does,” said Millen. “We know that thousands of hours have gone into the engineering of the RAV4, and we don’t mess with a good thing.”
The new RAV4 is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 176 horsepower and 172 lb.-ft. of torque. It offers punchy performance and makes you feel like you’re behind the wheel of a much more powerful powerplant.
Find out more about this award-winning SUV by reading our 2016 Toyota RAV4 review. When you’re done, stop by Texas Toyota and take it for a test drive.
